Interlude: Isle of Corvus
by WednesdayMorn
Summary: Sirius manages to evade the Ministry. He's sent to an island off the coast of nowhere, to live until something permanent can be set up for him in London. On the island lives Seraphina, and she'll give Sirius a run for his money. When the time comes, will Sirius head back to London alone, or will Seraphina follow him... to the end? [Spin-off of Book 2: New Beginnings]
1. Counterpart

**AN: **Spin-off of _Book 2: New Beginnings.  
_Takes place **immediately** after _Book 1: Reveal Your Secrets._  
Meant to be read alongside Book 2.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing other than my original characters and anything you might not recognize.  
Harry Potter and everything that pertains to it belongs to J. K. Rowling.  
A mixture of the books and movies will be included in this story.

_No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

She'd been alone for so long that she'd forgotten how nice it was to have the company of another. Sure, there were the house elves, along with the many creatures that resided on the island, but it wasn't the same. To have a conversation with them would be one sided, and it wouldn't possess that certain spark there was between two beings of the same intellect. Of course, Seraphina wasn't saying that her animals or house elves weren't intelligent, they were, but they were not friends. Her house elves were workers that refused to do anything that wasn't related to making her life agreeable, and her animals couldn't talk back.

However, Sirius Black… where to begin with him? She'd been surprised upon seeing him in person. Those wanted posters she'd seen of him did the man no justice. She'd expected to come face to face with a dark looking man who had been roughened by Azkaban, but no. What she met was a kindhearted man with a warm smile and a tired face, in need of a bath and a haircut, and a bit of food.

He was upstairs now, taking a shower and sorting himself out, and Seraphina was down in the kitchen, sitting on the granite countertop and watching her house elves flitter about the room. They were preparing a great feast, for the arrival of another resident was something to celebrate, and Mitzy had even asked their guest what he'd want there to be on the menu—which was why at the moment, two elves were wrestling with a hulking turkey that did not want to be turned into a roast.

"Are you sure he said he wanted a turkey?" asked Seraphina, laughing at the sight of her house elves. They'd decided to climb upon the back of the turkey to try and tame it, but it only resulted in the turkey taking off through the kitchen, the two house elves clinging onto its back for their lives.

"Yes my Mistress," said Mitzy with a grin, "I's wrote it down too, I did! Mr. Sirius Black be wanting a turkey, stuffed, with potatoes."

"The whole shebang, huh," mumbled Seraphina pensively, the smile lingering on her lips as she hopped down from the counter. "Can't blame the man, I suppose. If I hadn't had a decent meal in years I'd want a shitload of food, too. Anyways, I've got a couple of letters to send, so if anyone needs me, I'll be in the owlery—and why do we call that place an owlery anyways, there are only like, three owls in there…"

* * *

Sirius had forgotten how good warm water could feel against his skin; the simplicity of a bath, of a sponge, of soap, became a novelty for him. It had been so long since he'd taken a decent bath, and he was reluctant to leave the claw-footed bathtub, but the water wasn't clean anymore, and the mere sight of all the dirt and grime that he'd managed to scrub off himself made him cringe in disgust. Slowly he stood up, savoring the feel of the warm liquid running down his skin. It had been heaven spending two hours in the bathtub, simply relaxing and letting his sore muscles loosen, but it was time to get shit done.

A set of clean robes were waiting for him, set out by one of the house elves. They were nothing fancy, just simple cotton fabric that fit him loosely, but smelled clean and were soft. They were a much-appreciated change from his prison robes, which were made of a canvas-like material… and were now resting in the trash bin in ashes. Sirius didn't want anything to remind him of… _that place_ while he was on this island, so in a spontaneous burst of wandless magic, he'd set his old robes aflame once he'd taken them off.

He towel-dried slowly, being careful of all the nicks and bruises his skin bore. He was sure that he had a fractured rib too; from when Mooney had thrown him in the air, some days ago on the full moon. Adrenaline had kept the pain at bay until now. The bath had thawed him out, and he was left with a near boneless feeling that made him hyperaware of all the spots on his body that needed a healing touch.

Sirius donned his robes, and smiled to himself as he looked in the mirror. Either Seraphina had a thing for the color white, or she was just fucking with him. His robes consisted of a pair of drawstring pants, and a loose v-neck shirt with long, billowing sleeves. All he needed was a pair of sandals and he was set.

He stared at himself in the mirror, examining his facial features, taking notice of just how very old he looked. He wasn't even in his mid-thirties and already he looked like he could be in his fifties. Oh, Azkaban had been a cruel place that had robbed him of his youth, but he was back now, and the old Sirius was still there, somewhere.

"This might be a problem," he mumbled as he scrutinized his damp hair. It was without tangles now, thanks to the detangling-shampoo courtesy of the house elves, and now it hung in loose curls down to a little past his elbows, soft and shinny and smelling of coconuts and some other fruity monstrosity he didn't even want to know about. "I look like a fucking girl, oh Merlin."

There was nothing he could do, though. He did not own a wand, nor knew where the nearest pair of scissors was. All he could do was brush down his hair and tuck it behind his ears; he'd ask Seraphina if she could do something about it later, but seeing as how short her hair was, it left Sirius with a little seed of doubt. He couldn't judge her too soon, though. Maybe she just kept her hair short because it was the latest fad, or whatever.

Walking out of the bathroom, Sirius stepped into the adjourning bedroom. This was to be his room, and it was just across the hall from Seraphina's room. It was very spacious, with matching wooden furniture painted in white, and various windows that started at the floor and went up to the high ceiling—the whole manor seemed to have windows in that fashion, it seemed, which let a lot of light into the place, brightening it up nicely, making the hardwood floors sparkle. Seeing how it was late in the afternoon, though, the room was glowing with various splashes of oranges and pinks and purples and blues, all colors of the setting sun. One of the windows was open, and through it came a salty warm breeze, the smell of the sea, which made Sirius smile. Azkaban was on an island as well, surrounded by crashing waves and a year-round hurricane that made everything dark and dreary, but this… this was different. He could hear the waves crashing in the distance, but they were calm, like a softly sung lullaby.

Seeing the large, four-poster bed made a yawn escape Sirius, but as much as he wanted to dive into the soft, goose feather pillows and silken sheets, curiosity made him walk out of the room. Seraphina hadn't given him a proper tour of the place upon ushering him into the manor through the backdoor, and he hadn't minded at the time. He'd been more focused on a shower and getting clean, but now he walked leisurely, retracing his steps and observing all the sights that met his eyes.

The manor had a certain charm about it, making it warm and cozy despite its large size. Everything was very clean and tidy, with portraits of landscapes adorning the walls, and crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings. There were also plants—lots and lots of plants, from simple ferns hanging down from the ceilings, to potted flowers serving as centerpieces on the occasional little table placed out in the corridors.

Sirius walked past many bedrooms and sitting rooms, dens and offices, and even a library that had large bay windows that overlooked the ocean, and walls filled up to the brim with old tomes. There was even a music room, filled with various instruments that were just calling out to him, begging him to play them. He made a mental note about that, promising himself that once talking to Seraphina about it, he'd spend a couple of hours in, familiarizing himself with a guitar.

Soon enough he was down in the kitchen, where he nearly toppled over a turkey being ridden by house elves. He was stunned at first, but then a loud, bark-like laugh left him wheezing, tears slipping out of the corners of his eyes. The scene was just too hilarious to not laugh at.

"Aye, where's your Missus?" he called out to the elves in general, a hand on his side. Laughing so hard had felt good, but there was that bothersome twinge of pain, reminding him of his injuries.

A little elf in a blue tea towel walked up to him, and Sirius quickly took note of how the female elves were dressed in pink, while the males donned blue.

"My Mistress be in the owlery," the elf explained, playing with the seashell pendent around its neck. That was another thing Sirius took note of—all the elves were wearing seashell pendants, and judging by the "K" carved into the shell, he supposed that this elf's name began with a "K".

"The owlery," Sirius mused, and then remembered the other buildings on the property aside from the manor itself. "It is east of here, yeah?"

The elf nodded.

"Would Mr. Sirius Black like an escort?"

Sirius shook his head, saying, "I can get there by myself."

* * *

"We should call this place the birdhouse," Seraphina told the toucan resting on her shoulder, standing in the "owlery."

The owlery—or the birdhouse, as she'd now dubbed it, looked very similar to a large greenhouse. The building was made entirely of glass, with a retractable roof that was always kept partially open to allow the winged-delivery access. There were trees inside as well, but only those vital to the birds' health, because the idea of keeping her wing-pets in little niches along the walls did not sound appealing to Seraphina.

Brightly colored macaws called the birdhouse their home, along with toucans, hornbills, harpy eagles, and the only owls Seraphina owned; a family of three spectacled owls. They were all tropical birds, and kept for delivery purposes, but there were also the oddities that Seraphina kept around just because, like lorikeets, malachite kingfishers, and the very mean looking pair of double wattled cassowaries that came and went as they pleased via a special door made for them in the back of the birdhouse.

Foxy was the only flying creature that did not call the birdhouse his home—his place was on a perch in Seraphina's bedroom, where he'd spend his days hanging upside down when he didn't feel like going out into the rainforest.

A knock startled Seraphina, and she turned quickly, seeing Sirius Black leaning against the opened doorframe. He was looking about the room in awe, his silvery eyes darting from one tree to another, spotting all the very exotic birds that were staring him down from their homes amongst the trees. He looked good, Seraphina had to admit. He was nice and clean and no longer smelled like a wet dog, but his hair…

"Shit, your hair!" she couldn't help but to blurt out, laughing loudly, startling the toucan on her shoulder, who then nibbled on her earring as if to calm her down. "Fuck—you're gorgeous, mate; ready for the runway, I'd reckon!"

Sirius was not impressed by her teasing, but he had to admit, his hair did look pretty ridiculous.

"Think you can help me chop a few inches off?"he asked, picking up a lock of hair and then letting it fall back on his shoulder.

"A few inches? More like a few feet," Seraphina chuckled, but nodded her head nonetheless, "just let me finish here. I've gotta send a few letters and then I'll handle that mane of yours."

Sirius shook his head, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. A small smile graced his lips as he watched Seraphina talk quietly with the toucan on her shoulder, giving it directions on where to go and who to deliver the letter too. It was fascinating to watch how well Seraphina could communicate with her animals, and it was just one more thing that Sirius found himself liking about her.

"And remember," Seraphina called out to the toucan, who was already darting out of the greenhouse with a letter clamped in its large beak, "give it to aunt Sophie, not uncle Eli!"

With a satisfied nod, Seraphina then stuck her arm out, and with a whistle, called down a scarlet macaw that took perch on her extended limb. "Alright lovely, you'll be sending Izzy two things—I recon you'll get there in a few days, so nothing to worry about. Izzy will most likely keep you until she replies back, so stay a while."

Two letters were handed to the macaw, one for Isabella and one for Albus, both containing a similar message: that Sirius had arrived and that he was safe, and that should there be a change in plans, that she be contacted by Floo immediately. Of course, the letter for Isabella contained a more personal touch with a few random tidbits, while the letter that Isabella was supposed to pass on to Albus contained a more professional feel to it.

"Make sure Sev doesn't get those letters," she called out again, watching the macaw make its exit.

Sirius chuckled. "I take it you and Snape aren't friendly?"

Seraphina crinkled her nose. "_Hell_ no. He's my cousin and I'm obligated to love him because he's family and all that bullshit, but personally, I can't stand the guy."

"We have something in common," Sirius grinned.

"Oh, I know," Seraphina smiled, giving him a knowing look, "Izzy would send me letters while you lot went to school together. You and your friends gave him hell—nice job."

Sirius laughed and shook his head. This woman was just full of surprises.

"Alright, let's see about giving you some semblance of being a man," Seraphina said with a teasing grin, gesturing to Sirius' hair. "I can do this one of two ways—magic, or muggle. Take your pick."

"Magic; it'll be faster."

"You like it fast, eh?" Seraphina said with a mischievous grin, a dangerous twinkle in her sea-green eyes.

Sirius' eyebrows nearly hit his hairline. He could feel his cheeks heating up; was Seraphina actually flirting with him, or were his ears filled with water?

"Personally," Seraphina drawled out, taking out her wand from the pocket of her skirt, "I'd go for the muggle way. It's more… slower, intimate, and you can just get your hands all up in there, which I'm pretty sure would feel _very_ nice."

Sirius's eyes widened, and Seraphina burst out laughing.

"Fuck, I'm hilarious," she giggled, before muttering a spell and directing it towards Sirius' head. His hair was quickly sheared off, the access disappearing magically, and it now rested around his shoulders, as it used to when he was a teenager.

"Uh, thanks," Sirius said awkwardly, running a hand through his freshly cut hair.

"Anytime," Seraphina smirked, sending him a wink as she walked past him.

When he was sure that Seraphina was a well enough distance away from him to not hear him, Sirius let out a long breath, and muttered, "Shit. She's just like me. This could be very good, or very… bad."

_Shit, please make it very good!_


	2. Sandy Surprise

**AN:** This chapter goes along with what was mentioned about Sirius and Seraphina in _Chapter 3: Schoolboy Crush_, of Book 2.

* * *

_To my Chiming Belles,_

_I am in debt to you. If it were not for you suggesting sending me off to this little island, I'm sure that Dumbledore would have sent me away to some far off place where I wouldn't even be remotely connected to civilization. I'd probably be living in a hut in the middle of some forest! So thank you. Being here, on Isle of Corvus, it does not feel like I am hiding… It feels like I am on a vacation, a much-needed one, at that. There are just so many things to do; exploring the forest, swimming, and just lounging around—did you know that there is a music room here? I found it on the first day I came here. There's a guitar in there that has my name on it now… not literally, of course, because I'm sure your cousin would kill me if I were to deface her precious instrument, but I've kind of claimed that guitar as my own. It's just beautiful, Belles! It looks like the one I had at Hogwarts, do you remember? The one I let Mooney borrow so he could play that song for you during Christmas._

_Anyways, it has come to my attention that your birthday is coming up. I shall say it now because I have no idea when this letter will reach you, so: __**HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**__ You're turning 34 now… you old bat! I would have sent you a gift, but given the circumstances, you shall have to settle for my love—which is better than any gift you can buy, to be quite honest._

_Moving on, has anything happened in London since my departure? We don't get the Daily Prophet here… something about extra fees that need to be paid for the express owls to reach us and Sera not wanting to pay them because that's what the government wants and she cannot let them win... Anyways, if you can spare a copy of the Prophet, I would really appreciate it. Maybe you can include a couple of pages when you send your reply. I would really like to know what's going on over on home soil. Sera seems to be content with just getting her news from the wireless… along with blasting the Weird Sisters at random hours of the night. I think sometimes she forgets that I'm living here._

_Since we're on the topic of Sera… Why have I not met her sooner, Belles?! You have been holding out on me! That woman is just… wow…_

* * *

Since the first time he'd laid eyes on her, since hearing those vulgar words being cussed at a fruit bat, Sirius knew that he liked her. Seraphina was simply gorgeous. However, it wasn't her looks that had Sirius smitten—it was the little things she did, like how she'd crinkle her nose in that adorable way whenever something confused her, or how she'd dance around the house in nothing but her pajamas, singing along to some song on the wireless without caring that her singing-voice wasn't exactly angelic.

The woman possessed a natural charm that made Sirius weak at the knees, and she didn't even know it. She had Sirius wrapped around her fingers. If she asked him to jump, he would ask how high.

Sadly, Sirius had absolutely no idea how to go about his little predicament. He liked Seraphina, there was no doubt about that, but he had no idea if she liked him in return. They were friends, that much had been made clear after living with one another for roughly three months, but did Seraphina's affections for Sirius go beyond that of just a friend? She would flirt with him, she'd tease him, she'd smile and bat her eyelashes, but was there some underlying message that Sirius wasn't getting? Were all those little quirks "girl signs" for:_ I like you, come and get some!_

Women were confusing, with their mind tricks and signs and that bullshit about things happening for a reason…

Sirius supposed he'd know what to do if he were back in Hogwarts. Hogwarts was his domain, his hunting grounds, he knew every hidden passageway and disappearing room that there was. He was king there, but on this little island, Seraphina was queen. She called the shots, she knew every grain of sand on the beach, every leaf on any given tree—she was familiar and at home on Isle of Corvus, while Sirius was not. He was just a guest, he did not call the shots, he didn't even own the clothes on his back. Maybe that was why he had no idea what to do; at Hogwarts, he had a reputation to fall back on, while on this island he was nothing.

There was no reputation, no "_Hogwarts' biggest flirt_", no "_Hogwarts' heartthrob_".

It was so strange, not knowing what to do when it came to the opposite sex. Maybe all those years locked away in a cell had damaged him... He just hoped that Isabella could shed some light on his dilemma.

Until then, he'd just have to play it by ear.

* * *

"Oh Siriuuuuuus!"

_Merlin have mercy on my soul_, thought Sirius with a groan, burying his face in his pillow.

"C'mon Sirius, get your arse up!"

_Go away,_ thought Sirius with an irritated sigh, _Merlin knows I like you, but not at this hour._

It was close to four in the morning, what day it was [?]—Sirius could care less. All he wanted was to sleep, but here was Seraphina, the bane of his existence, bouncing on the foot of his bed. What she wanted, he hadn't the slightest clue; the woman was random enough to want ice cream one second and a fish sandwich the next, but he could not find it in his heart to completely ignore her, so with a very begrudging sigh, he turned over in bed so that he was lying on his back.

At least now, Seraphina wouldn't be talking to his backside.

"What do you want, Sera?" he asked into the dark, his voice hoarse from sleep.

"It's a surprise," Seraphina said in a very suspicious tone, but the ghost of a smile could be detected in her words. "C'mon, you gotta come and see!"

"See what?"

"What part of "_surprise_" do you not understand?" asked Seraphina in return, talking as if she were explaining something to a small child.

"I don't understand the reason for why I gotta get up at the butt-crack of dawn," mumbled Sirius with a frown.

"Party pooper," Seraphina mumbled, swatting Sirius' leg.

Sirius merely grunted in response, keeping his eyes shut and forcing himself to drift back to sleep. It was silent in his room after that, and a while later he felt the mattress shift, signifying that Seraphina was no longer seated at the foot of his bed. _She probably gave up_, Sirius figured, but Seraphina **never** gave up. Instead, she went for a different approach.

"SIRIUS BLACK—GET OUT OF THAT FUCKING BED!" Seraphina screamed, launching herself on the bed, right on top of Sirius. She straddled his stomach, and before Sirius could even lift up his arms to protect his face, she had his pillow in her hands, and proceeded to hit him over and over and over—

"FOR THE LOVE OF GODRIC, WOMAN—STOP IT!" Sirius roared, sitting up so fast that Seraphina lost her balance. She fell to the side, and began laughing as she wiggled around on the rumpled sheets.

"You should have gotten up when I told you the first time, dumbass," Seraphina said in a sing-song voice, a large smile on her lips.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Now c'mon, we've got places to be, and little creatures to see!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Sirius found himself standing on the beach, a giggling Seraphina standing beside him. The little witch had cast glowing orbs into the sky that produced a brilliant white light, illuminating the sandy ground they stood on. The beach was empty, the waves black and licking at the shore with a hushed crash that left foamy white bubbles in its wake. He had no idea why he was standing on a deserted beach in the middle of the night, but if Seraphina insisted that there was something to see, even though Sirius clearly saw nothing, then he was not going to argue with her. He trusted her enough to believe that there was going to be something on the beach… he just hoped it didn't take forever. He _really_ wanted to get back to sleep; his bed was heaven on his back.

"What exactly are we waiting for?" Sirius asked impatiently.

Seraphina was silent for a moment, her giggly attitude gone, before saying, "I can't tell you because it's a surprise, but I can…" she trailed off airily, and walked a few paces in front of Sirius, getting down on her knees and burying her hands in the sand so that they were completely covered up to the wrists. Sirius had no clue what she was doing, but it was evident that Seraphina was feeling for something.

"Sera—"

"Shh," Seraphina hushed him, saying gently, "they're almost here."

"What?"

Seraphina quickly stood up, shaking her hands to rid them of the sand that clung to her skin. She turned and called Sirius t to come to her, and cautiously Sirius obeyed, settling beside her as he'd done moments earlier.

"Now," Seraphina started, looking up at Sirius, a very serious expression on her face, "if you should decide to take a step, be very weary of where your feet land. We don't want any casualties tonight."

Sirius had absolutely no clue as to what Seraphina was talking about, and he was going to question her further, but Seraphina suddenly squealed, and pointed down to the sand down below them.

"Sea turtles," Sirius said in awe, watching as millions of tiny little turtles began emerging from the sand, all flapping their fins and heading to the water as fast as they could. It was an amazing sight, something Sirius had never seen before, and he was left speechless.

"Surprise," said Seraphina with a soft smile, her eyes shining as she looked up at Sirius.

_Good Godric, I think I'm in love with this woman…_


	3. London Calling

**AN:** You should read _Chapter 6: The Lupins_, of the Remus Lupin story, _Book 2: New Beginnings_.  
It goes hand in hand with this chapter... and you won't understand what's going on here if you don't read it.

* * *

"Seraphina."

"Go away."

"Seraphina!"

"No."

"**SERA!**"

"**_QUE_**!?" screamed Seraphina, "_Je suis en train de dormir_!"

"In English, Sera!" exclaimed the voice of Severus Snape.

"It's too early for English," mumbled Seraphina grumpily, sitting up in bed. She looked over to her fireplace, where green embers licked around the clear image of Severus' head. The man did not look happy, not one bit, but then again Seraphina had never seen him smile. She doubted he was even capable of such an act. "What did I do to warrant such a _warm_ wakeup call?"

"Just shut up and get over here," hissed Severus impatiently.

Seraphina rolled her eyes, but obeyed her cousin's command. Lazily she got out of bed, stretching and popping her back as she walked across her bedroom to kneel before the fireplace.

"What is it, Sev?" asked Seraphina, stifling a yawn.

"It's Isabella," Severus said, his voice losing a bit of its sharp edge, "She's missing."

"WHAT!?"

* * *

Impatient pounding was what woke Sirius early in the morning. He was tempted to ignore it and burying his head underneath his pillow, but a twisting feeling in his gut had him walking across his bedroom and opening the door. Before him stood Seraphina, eyes bloodshot, fiddling nervously with her bracelets. Despite the obvious upset state that her body and actions displayed, a smile was on her lips. She was hiding behind a mask, and Sirius did not like that.

"Sera?" said Sirius questioningly, "what's wrong?"

"I… I need to go away for a couple of hours," said Seraphina softly, sniffling, "something's happened and I—I need to be in London_._"

"I don't understand," said Sirius, genuinely concerned. Seraphina looked so vulnerable, and it scared him. Never had he seen her look so fragile, as if a gentle tap would be all it took to break her. Something had happened at home, her expression was enough to tell him that.

"It's Isabella," said Seraphina hesitantly, "she's… Severus doesn't know where she is—she's missing. Her and Talia went to the World Cup and there was a riot and Isabella… they couldn't find her."

Sirius felt his stomach drop. "Is Talia—"

"Talia's alright," said Seraphina quickly, "she's home. It's just—she's building up all these walls and not letting anyone in. Severus wants me to go over to see if I can get through to her."

"Do you want me to come along?" asked Sirius without hesitation.

Seraphina shook her head, giving him a small smile. "Thanks… I appreciate it, but you need to stay here."

"Sera, if there's anything I can do to help—"

"Have a tub of ice cream waiting for me when I get back, yeah?"

Sirius sighed, but nodded his head. If she wanted ice cream, he would give it to her. "What's your poison?"

"Chocolate, with nuts and marshmallows."

"Consider it done."

* * *

His heart had jumped into his throat when a familiar snowy owl swooped in through the open window some time later. It was a letter from his godson, and it was not filled with good news. Harry's scar was hurting, and although Sirius had no idea what that could possibly mean, he knew that it had something to do with the person who gave Harry his scar.

Now, he could kill two birds with one stone if he returned to London that very moment. He could see to his godson… and Seraphina. However, Seraphina had told him to stay on the island and he would not go against her word, and he knew that it would be a bad idea to return to Britain without a proper plan. He could hide away with Remus, he supposed, but Remus had enough to deal with (his mate was missing, and his pup was isolating herself) – and Sirius did not want to be a burden on his friend's shoulders.

He paced the downstairs sitting room, concerned wrinkles on his forehead. He didn't know how long he'd been walking in circles, but the sky was beginning to turn gray when the fireplace came alive with the signature green flames that the Floo Network was known for. From out of the grate stepped Seraphina, a smile on her face as she brushed off soot from her dress.

"Sera," said Sirius, and he took a step towards her, but stopped when Seraphina lifted up a hand.

"Isabella is with Remus," she said quickly, the smile on her face disappearing, "and—and well—she's alright—so—there's nothing to… _nothing to_…"

Tears fell from Seraphina's eyes. She had tried so hard to keep her mask in place, to be strong for her family, but now it was falling apart. Isabella was safe, and Seraphina allowed herself a sob. There was only so much she could take…

Sirius quickly rushed to her, and throwing caution to the wind, he wrapped his arms around her. He had never seen Seraphina cry, and he did not like it.

They stood there, in the sitting room, holding each other, no noise except for quiet sobs and hushed promises of better times. Seraphina pushed herself against Sirius' body, molding herself against him, feeling safe in his embrace. She allowed him to stroke her hair, and did not even flinch when he kissed her forehead. There was just something natural about being so close to him, being held by him, breathing in his scent, and feeling all the contours of his body.

Being held by Sirius felt natural, and Seraphina's heart began to swell.

"How about that ice cream?" asked Sirius after a moment, "I even got the house-elves to make cheesecake."

"I love cheesecake," said Seraphina absentmindedly, bringing up a hand to wipe away her tears.

"I know," said Sirius with a small smile, "that's why I got them to make it for you. Now c'mon, the house-elves should be finishing up on those meat pies I asked them for, too."

"… I love meat pies."

"I know."


	4. Bewitched

**AN:** This chapter goes hand in hand with what was mentioned in _Chapter 8: Communication Error_, of the main story, _Book 2: New Beginnings_.

* * *

_Izzy,_

_I need your help—before you begin to freak out, know that everything is fine over here—it's just, I think playing host to Sirius Black was a bad idea. Don't get me wrong, he hasn't done anything to warrant a curse… actually, he's been amazing. He… well, I don't know when it started, but—damn it, I can't even write this! I just—there are so many emotions dancing across my head that they cloud my vision and make me want to fucking puke!_

_Fuck it, I'll just come out with it—I really like him, as in like like—**you know**._

_Now, before you start freaking out, let me explain—wait, fuck that, I don't even know what to say. Anyways, I just… I'm not sure how it started or what exactly happened… wait, I think it started when I came back home from Spinner's End after your little disappearance. Anyways, I'd tease him, and flirt, but I never really meant anything by it; you know how I am, it's just something that can't be helped. However, I began noticing things about him, like how his eyes would light up, and how he'd smile, and the way he says my name just makes me weak at the knees._

_Please don't mention this to anyone, not even your Remus. I don't really want people to know, especially Uncle Eli. I swear, that man is more severe than Severus is. Anyhow, I know that I fall to fast and hard for people, but… I've got a really good feeling about this one._

_Anyways, let Aunt Sophie know that I got her letter. She told me about your back, I can't even begin to imagine how that felt, being cursed the way you were._

_Now I've gotta make this short, it's night time right now, and Sirius is waiting for me on the beach. He's planning something, I tell you!_

_Lots of love and kisses,_

_Sera_

_**PS:**_ _You don't need to write back… but knowing how much of a gossip you are, it'll be a surprise if I don't find you in my sitting room. Let Mr. Too-Too rest up for a few days before sending him back, and remember to cast the Disillusionment Charm on him. He's one of my favorite toucans, and I don't want anything happening to him!_

_Ta ta pour l'instant, mon petit croissant!_

* * *

With a small smile, and a wildly beating heart, Seraphina walked onto the beach. She was nervous; there were butterflies flapping around in her stomach, and they refused to leave. With every step she took towards the glowing spec of light on the shore, the butterflies grew larger. Shakily she approached Sirius, who in his hand was holding a glowing lantern.

"I haven't seen one of those since I was little," Seraphina snickered, looking at the lantern.

"Well, I don't exactly have a wand, now do I?" said Sirius with fake indignation.

"True," Seraphina laughed. "Well, why did you call me out here? If you wanted to go for a walk—"

"I've got something to show you," Sirius said, cutting Seraphina off, "but first, you gotta put this on." He pulled out a thick ribbon from his pocket, and Seraphina quirked an eyebrow.

"You wanna blindfold me?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"You're fond of surprises, aren't you?" asked Sirius with a teasing grin.

Seraphina narrowed he eyes. "You're getting me back for that one time, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Sirius shrugged, chuckling.

Seraphina rolled her eyes, saying, "Alright, give it here—but I swear if you throw me into the ocean I will make your life a living hell, got it?"

"Of course," smiled Sirius, handing Seraphina the ribbon.

Seraphina shot Sirius a dirty look before she wrapped the ribbon around her head, making sure to keep her eyes covered. Yes, she loved surprises… but she was rather impatient. She nearly groaned after three minutes of walking along the sand blindly, Sirius holding her hand and leading her somewhere unknown.

"I swear, if you're—"

"Oh be quite," said Sirius, "we're almost there."

"And where the hell is '_there_'?" asked Seraphina, "We're still on the beach, that's for sure."

"Did it never occur to you that I had something set up further along the beach?"

"Well, now that you mention it…"

Sirius shook his head, letting out a bark of a laugh.

They walked for a few more seconds, and then Seraphina felt herself being guided down until she sat on a chair, which she thought strange. A breeze brought up the smells of food to her nose, and her heart began to beat loudly. She reached a hand out, and bumped it against a hard surface—a table, there was no doubt about that in her mind.

_Oh shit, is this what I think it—_

"You can take the blindfold off," Sirius said softly, almost nervously.

Seraphina tore the ribbon off her face, and stared wide eyed at the setting before her. There was indeed a table, covered in blue fabric. Covered plates of food were arranged around glowing candles and a large bouquet of roses, and Sirius sat across from her, a rather small smile on his lips.

"Sirius—"

"Before you say anything, let me explain," he said quickly, reaching over the table to grab one of Seraphina's hands.

"… Alright," Seraphina said hesitantly.

"I… well, I wrote you a poem—but then a breeze came by and just swept the parchment outta my hands and it just got lost in the ocean," admitted Sirius, an embarrassed chuckle leaving his lips. "Uh, I don't exactly remember everything I wrote down, but I remember most of it, and I guess I'll just make up things as I go along, yeah?"

"I'm all ears," said Seraphina softly.

"Right, well—don't laugh, okay? I've never done this before."

"Not even at Hogwarts?"

"No," Sirius said, shaking his head, "I'd always get Remus to write my poems for me… I never actually wrote one all by myself."

"I'm a lucky girl, then," Seraphina smiled gently.

"That you are," Sirius grinned nervously. "Well, here goes nothing—

_I… I love the way you smile, and the way you say my name.  
I love it how you swear and curse, and don't care what other people say.  
I love the way your eyes light up, and the way you brush your hair.  
I love how much you care for others, and how much you care… for me._

_I hope that I can be your everything, because heaven knows that you're it for me._

_I don't have much to offer you—I don't even own a wand  
But I promise you, if you'll have me, I'll love you unconditionally."_

Seraphina did not know what to say—what **could** she say? Sirius had bared himself to her, heart and soul, and there was nothing she could say that could even amount to the words that had left his lips. Tears steadily began trailing down her cheeks, and a wave of emotions hit her soundly.

Sirius Black loved her.

And she loved him back.

"Seraphina," Sirius said hesitantly, noticing the tears that streaked her cheeks, "if… if I've offended you—"

"Oh shut up!" Seraphina exclaimed, a large smile pulling at the corner of her lips, "You… You beautiful man, you could never offend me!"

"I… uh," Sirius did not know what to say, but it appeared that words didn't need to be spoken, for Seraphina rose up from her seat, pulling Sirius along with her.

"So I'm… I'm your everything?" asked Seraphina hesitantly, looking up at Sirius.

"Gods, yes," he sighed, lifting up a hand to cup her cheek.

"And you love me?" she went on.

"Unconditionally," answered Sirius without missing a beat.

"Are you sure about—"

"I've never been surer of anything, ever," Sirius said quickly. "You've bewitched me, Seraphina Corvus."

"It's September—we've only known each other for like, three to four months," Seraphina pressed on.

"Sera, if you don't—"

"I just want to make sure that the keeper of my heart won't—"

Sirius' lips silenced her.

They kissed, and clung to each other, the sound of waves crashing in the background, the smell of roses drifting in the air. Seraphina had never felt a love so pure, a love so intense, a love so sincere. This was it; this man was the one, her heart was his to hold, and so when his hands slid underneath her blouse, calloused fingers making their way up the plain of her stomach, she did nothing to stop him. In fact, she pulled him closer, her hands playing with the drawstring of his cotton trousers…

* * *

**AN:** This chapter was painfully awkward to write. I think it was because of the poem I had Sirius read to Sera. Not very original, if you've watched _10 Things I Hate About You_...

I hope I didn't get too crazy with Sirius' portrayal. I'll admit that he was a bit OOC in this chapter.  
I blame the poem.


End file.
